PLEASE GET IN TOUCH IF YOUR CASE FALLS INTO THIS CRITERIA

[Alison J Stevens]

This story, which appeared some time ago, illustrates an important issue, which badly needs examination
Contact with his mother was restricted TO PUNISH THE MOTHER - but of course above all it punishes the child. We have seen many, many examples, of how restriction of contact is used to control, or discipline, parents who are not sufficiently compliant or deferential, or who have made legitimate complaints about quality of foster care. The needs of the child come nowhere. Whatever the court may have decided about contact, social services will ignore are alter this as a means of using their power. This is an issue which we have already raised with the Children's Rights Officer. Other groups which have similar cases may wish to do the same. Among so many cases we see, the issue is not about protecting children, but controlling parents. In our evidence to the Select Committee, I cited a case where a black mother said to me "I know what I've got to do now Jean: I've got to play the good nigger." I went home and wept.
Another issue I want to raise, and would be glad of examples to add to our collection, is children being lied to by social services: "your mother doesn't want to see you" kind of stories. Contact is also denied because, allegedly, children do not want to see parents - yet all the other evidence we have does not support this. (Yet interestingly, in divorce and separation cases, terrified children from domestic violence cases are forced to have extended stays with an abusive father - we are getting more of those) There was at one time much talk of parent alienation syndrome. Social workers seem to practise parent alienation more than anyone else.
Best wishes for the festive season!
Jean Robinson
President
Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services, contact [e-mail]